Major apartment and retail development could be coming to Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood

A major development proposal at South Kinnickinnic Avenue and South Herman Street could include the former Bella’s Fat Cat building and a vacant lot across the street.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)Buy Photo

That meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 25 at Bay View High School's auditorium, 2751 S. Lenox St.

"It's going to be a good-sized development," Zielinski said, while declining to elaborate.

The development is being proposed by Scott Lurie, who operates several apartment buildings throughout the Milwaukee area.

Lurie, of F Street Group, told the Journal Sentinel he controls the Bay View development site under a pending purchase contract. He declined to discuss his plans prior to the Oct. 25 meeting.

Lurie's other projects include the conversion of the former Pabst Brewing Co. warehouse, in downtown Milwaukee, to The 42, which includes offices, a self-storage center, Milwaukee Brewing Co.'s new brewery and Glass + Griddle restaurant.

City assessment records show that 10 separate neighboring parcels in the 2700 blocks of Kinnickinnic Avenue and Herman Street are owned by three related groups: SK KK LLC, SK Development Group LLC and Moore Management LLC.

Those parcels total about 1 acre.

They include several houses and duplexes, as well a vacant lot, at 2729 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., and a vacant commercial building, at 2737-2743 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., that last housed Bella's Fat Cat burgers and frozen custard.

Several new upscale apartment buildings, typically including street-level retail space, have been developed in Bay View in recent years.

They include Dwell, which opened in 2012 at 2440 S. Kinnnickinnic Ave., and Vue, which opened last year at 2200 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

Also, Stitchweld opened last year at 2151-2181 S. Robinson Ave., and construction is to begin soon on The Beacon, at 2130 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

No plans for the 2700 blocks of South Kinninkinnic Avenue and South Herman Street have been filed or discussed with the Department of City Development, said Jeff Fleming, department spokesman.